08/11/2007
'Asia Calling' promotes mutual understanding
The Jakarta Post
Features - July 24, 2007
Camelia Pasandaran, Contributor, Jakarta
The borderless society already began several years ago when the modern transportation system allowed people to travel around the world in a relatively short time.
Along with this progress came information technology, which made it easier for people to travel to other parts of the world through television, newspapers, radios and the internet.
And so, riding information technology progress, radio station KBR68H on July 13 launched a new website for its weekly radio program called Asia Calling. With the new website, you can find the latest news about countries in the region with just a single click without leaving the comfort of your desk.
But, don't all websites offer just that comfort? What is so special about this website in a country where there are various news portals providing you with the latest information?
The Asia Calling website -- www.asiacalling.kbr68h.com -- is not an ordinary news portal, having been established as a perfect blend of sophisticated technology and regional news content. On the menu bar, you will not only find a news directory, as in most news portals, but also several interesting features including audio streaming.
The audio streaming allows web visitors not only to read the news on the website but also to listen to it. The sound quality of the audio streaming is good and clear, far better than listening to ordinary radio broadcasts which sometimes have disturbances due to the strength of its signal and its receiver. And because there are no time limits the news offered by Asia Calling is more comprehensive with more sources providing balanced reporting.
For some people, however, sitting in front of the computer just to hear a radio broadcast is probably a waste of time and money. More than that, not too many people around Asia have internet access in their homes, and most people listen to radio broadcasts in their idle time or while doing something else, such as driving.
For this reason, Asia Calling offers podcasts with a free software that you can download from the site. A podcast is an audio broadcast created and stored digitally on the internet. The only thing you have to do is download the software and install it on your computer. Afterward you can browse and download audio files to your own desktop and play it using various audio players, or move the files to a digital media player. The aim of this feature is for listeners to be able to store the news and play it at their convenience.
The website also provides a wide array of news. Santoso, the director of KBR68H, told The Jakarta Post the website offers news on the environment, politics, the economy and more. Unlike most news portals, which mostly focus just on politics, Asia Calling also covers "soft issues" with more depth, from gender discrimination to climate change.
For example, there's a story about South Korea 's first and so far only farm where renewable energy comes straight from the pigs.
"We cover news that has regional aspects and through the website, we can improve understanding between Asian countries and provide a medium for an exchange of knowledge, so we can learn from each other," said Santoso.
Asia Calling itself has been on the air since the 2003 ASEAN Summit in Bali in October 2003. It is broadcast through satellite every Saturday at 8:30 a.m. in English and 9 a.m. in Indonesian.
From an international perspective, this website is probably not that special. According to Santoso, there are several radio stations in Europe and America that have programs containing news about Asia .
According to him, European and American radio stations that broadcast news about Asia are growing in number, but there are fewer such programs in Asia . Santoso said Asia Calling was the first in Asia .
This weekly radio program is relayed by more than 140 radio stations in Indonesia and 19 foreign radio stations, including in Cambodia, Timor Leste, Thailand and Australia . At some radio stations, the program is broadcast in two languages, English and the local language. For Jakartans, Asia Calling is also broadcast every Friday from 5:30 p.m to 7 p.m. on Utankayu Radio at 89.2 FM. Listeners can also take part in an interactive quiz that challenges your knowledge about Asia .
Though KBR68H is central for this broadcast, correspondents are spread across countries that relay the program. There are 15 journalists collecting news for the program from abroad.
Some of the correspondents receive journalistic training in Jakarta . Correspondents from Cambodia, Pakistan, India and Timor Leste took part in a workshop at the KBR86h office at Utan kayu, Jakarta , last week.
This innovative program stands to benefit various people, from Asian leaders, policy-makers and businesspeople, to students who want to learn about Asia and others with an interest in Asian culture and social life.
Aside from its main function as an information provider, the program has been a help for local English teachers in Sekayu, South Sumatra . English teachers there record the English news broadcast and use it as material for English lessons at the high school.
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